Fastening-inserting machine



.J. F. STANDISH ET AL 2,178,615

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Filed May 28, 1937 ll Sheets-Sheet 11 Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFiQE FASTENING-INSIER'KING MACHINE Application May 28, 1937, Serial No. 145,320

125 Claims.

This invention relates to machines by which fastenings may be applied to Work to secure portions thereof to one another. It is more particularly concerned with the attachment of heels ,5 to shoes by nails driven through the heel-seats of the shoes into the heels, though it is by no means limited to an organization of this particular character.

The invention has as an object the provision of a fastening-inserting machine which is highly efficient, capable of reducing the acts required of the operator to a minimum without undue complication, which is readily adjustable at every necessary point and which is convenient to operate and maintain. In the attainment of this object, the principal features which are improved are as follows: The work-support or jack is so constructed that it is of ample strength, may be readily mounted and demounted and is securely held in place in the machine, it further having an adjustable top-plate offering equal support to the shoe in all positions. Simple and strong means supports and guides the driveror fastening-inserting-assembly, and the drivers are individually adjustable Vertically, .while being maintained at a constant angle about their axes. The tread and the lateral or rear pressure members for the heel are movable one from the other through different distances to apply a greater force by 0 one of them than by the other to the heel to be attached, and there is special retaining means for one of the heel-contacting members. The mechanism by which reaction produced by the insertion of the fastenings is transmitted to the work to clamp it for the inserting operation has been simplified and strengthened, and a purality of stops or bumpers employed and including a novel adjustment therefor. There is improved mechanism for transferring the fastenings from distributing mechanism to the work-support, this including a novel invertible loader-block with means for separably securing the block in its holder. Actuating mechanism common to both the distributing and loading mechanisms is capable of effecting a full movement of said loading mechanism to predetermined points with minimum frictional wear and provides a safety feature if clogging occurs. The transferring or loading mechanism is controlled through an operator-actuated member by connections which guard against repeated fastening-deliveries for a single actuation of the member, and said memher is locked in its fully actuated position, after completion of movement under the power of the machine, to insure delivery. The operator has the choice of manual control of the loading mechanism or its fully automatic action. To avoid operation of the inserting mechanism while the fastening-supplying mechanism is acting,

the controlling means for the clutch through which the inserting mechanism is driven is made ineffective, save when the actuating mechanism for the supplying mechanism is in its normal position. That the clutch may not be tripped by the controlling treadle before the treadledepression has placed the proper preliminary pressure upon the work, a variable resistance is established which compels the necessary treadlemovement.

That portion of the fastening-supplying mechanism by which loads of fastenings are separated from a mass thereof for transfer to the inserting mechanism and the main clutch of the machine are made the subjects of two divisional applications, both filed in the United tates Patent Office on October 1, 1937 in the names of John F. Standish and Lester S. Macdonald, and bearing the respective Serial Numbers 166,862 and 166,863.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one of the many embodiments which this invention may assume,

Fig. 1 shows the improved machine in side elevation;

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, front elevations of the upper and lower portions of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a broken rear elevation corresponding to Fi 2;

Figs..5 and 6 are, respectively, upper and lower vertical longitudinal sections;

Fig. '7, a perspective view of the lower part of the jack, portions of the driver-assembly and of the mounting of the jack, the last containing the driver-actuating plunger, these elements being separated to the positions which they would assume when the jack and driver-assembly are applied to the machine;

Fig. 8 is a broken perspective illustrating the raceway-clearing means;

Fig. 9, a top plan view of the nail-separating mechanism associated with the raceway;

Fig. 10, a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 11, a broken perspective View of one eX- tremity of the separating mechanism;

Fig. 2, a top plan view of the foot-plate and a portion of its adjusting means;

Fig. 13, a vertical sectional detail on the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14, a broken side elevation of the loading mechanism;

Fig. 14 a broken top plan View of the loaderblock, especially bringing out its retaining means;

Fig. 15, a partial longitudinal horizontal section through the loader-slides; A

Fig. 16, a detail in broken side elevation, showing the loading mechanism in co-operation with the foot-plate;

Fig. 1'7, a similar view of said mechanism in cooperation with the jack and including an intermediate position of the loader-block;

Fig. 18, an enlarged view in broken side elevation of the actuating means for the nail-supplying mechanism;

Fig. 19, a partial horizontal section through such actuating means;

Fig. 20, a detail in side elevation of the lever through which the nail-supplying mechanism is controlled by the operator, together with the more closely associated elements;

Fig. 21, a horizontal sectional detail taken just above the jack, and

Fig. 22, a view of the clutch through which the nailing mechanism is operated, this being partly in side elevation and partly in section.

J ask and its mounting From the front of a frame-column (Figs. 1 and 5) projects a bracket 52 through which is a vertical the top of the bracket rests a supper and guiding cap l4 having a portion extending down into the passage. At opposite side oi the cap are horizontal ways g projections H from a base l8 of jack J (11g. '2). The tops of the ways have 0 enings at is, and the projections upon the jack-base are so divided that an opposite pair of these may be introduced into the spaces to facilitate the application of the base to the cap. With the base thus introduced, flanges 20, rest upon the upper surface of the cap. When drawn forward, the jack is retained place by a latch 2! pivoted upon the cap and engaging a horizontal pin fixed in the base. The surface 23 of the lat which bears against the pin is inclined downwardly rearwardly, having a tendency to the jack firmly against a vertical stop-surface 25 on the cap it. The latch is automatically raised for locking engagement with the base by contact of the pin 22 with an inclined latch-surface 2 A depending tail 26 facilitates the lifting of the latch to release the jack for removal. The base I8 is preferably a hollow casting with an opening at the upper end and upon which rests the body 28 of the jack. This body may consist of a steel forging secured by a screw SE to an upward extension 32 from the front of the base. The jack-body has extending outwardly from its lower portion a horizontal flange 33, in which are threaded openings to receive the threaded ends of driver-tubes 35, here shown as five in number. A plurality of these jaclebodies may be provided, each with its tubes arranged according to a different nailing design. The upper extremities of the tubes have the usual enlargements 38 for engagement with the insole of a shoe being operated upon. These enlargements project into substantially parallel slots to (Fig. elongated from front to rear of the machine and formed in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined top-plate 42 of the jack. The plate is shown as secured upon the jack-body by a screw 44 threaded into it and passing through a slot in a forward projection 46 from the body, the screw-head engaging the under side of the projection. As the heels to be attached Driver-assembly Movable in the tubes 2. set of nail-drivers :li rising from a plate T e upper ends of the drivers are preferably inclined downwardly and inwardly (Fig. 1'?) to cause an inward inclination of the nails, these be driven away from heel-wall. To obtain an individual adjustment of the drivers to position their ends at the desired height with respect to the upper ends of the tubes they may be threaded into sleeves E2, winch are oppositely threaded into the plate 59. holding each driver and rotating the sleeve by a wrench applied to its hexagonal lower extremity, the vertical position of said driver may be varied by these right and left threads by as small an amount as may be desired, without changing the relation of its inclined end about the vertical axis. Thus adjusted, it may be clamped in position by a nut 49 carried by the driver-thread above and contacting with the plate 56. When the jack J containing the gang of drivers is applied to the framedoracket iii, slots 5! at the opposite sides of the driver-plate receive a head or enlargement 53 on a screw 55, which furnishes the vertically adjustable upper portion of a plunger 56 reciprocating in the vertical passage of the framebracket 52. By turning this screw, the relation of the upper ends of the entire gang of drivers to the jeck top may be altered to properly sink the heads of the nails in the insole of the shoe. The screw may be retained as adjusted by a spring latch-pin til movable in a bore in the plunger and engaging some one of a series of depressions in the lower end of the screw. The upper portion of the plunger is cylindrical and is guided in a bore the cap i4, while the lower squared portion 5% moves in ways in the framebracket. This lower portion of the plunger is shouldered at 8i and normally rests on the frame (Fig. 3). Above the portion 563, the plunger is threaded at 82 to receive a nut and lock-nut 64, between which and the cap Ml is interposed a compressiomspring A skirt 88 depending from the cap it furnishes a portion of the plunger-guide, and extending within the spring holds this out of contact with the movable plunger. The spring acts upon the plunger to maintain the drivers normally lowered in the jacktubes By varying the position of the nuts 64 upon the plunger-portion 62, the depressing force of the spring may be adjusted.

Pressure-head Projecting from the upper portion of the frame [0 above the jack is a divided arm iii (Figs. 1 and 5) provided at each side of its outer extremity with a vertical rib i2 to guide a pressure-head i l of inverted U shape (Fig. 2), acting upon a heel to be attached to clamp this upon the heelseat of a shoe supported upon the jack J. Movable horizontally in the head is a carrier 16 adjustable from front to rear of the machine by a screw 78 having threaded engagement with the carrier and turning in the head and in a bar 80 secured separably across the arms of the U. In

the carrier is mounted a tread-slide 82 and a rear or lateral slide 8 Upon the lower end of the slide 82 is an abutment-block 86 furnishing a holder for a receptacle plate 88 for engagement with the tread-surface of a heel upon a jacked shoe. The block is mounted in segmental ways upon the slide and may be adjusted in a plane extending from front to rear of the machine by a nut 96 rotatable at the end of the slide 82 and having threaded engagement with a projection from a rack 92 meshing with a gear-segment on the block. It may be desirable to change the plate 88 for others of diiferent thicknesses or contact-areas when the dimensions of the heels to be attached vary. To facilitate this, the plate and block are joined for ready separation by a dovetail-connection 95, while from the front of the plate a projection 93 extends upwardly into a space in the slide 82. During the angular adjustment of the block between its normal limits, the projection remains in the space, and displacement of the plate upon the block is prevented. But, by a sufficient inclination of the block downwardly and forwardly, the projection may be fully withdrawn from the space. This allows the plate to be slipped from its mounting and another substituted, the use of threaded or other clamping means being avoided. The main rear slide 3% is preferably inclined downwardly and outwardly and has movable upon it from front to rear a secondary slide 9% adjustable in this direction by a screw 95 rotatable in the main slide and threaded into the secondary slide. Mounted upon the secondary slide to tilt in the direction of its plane of movement of translation is a segment-block 98, which is yieldably held in its upward and forward extreme of movement by a tension-spring i953 joining it to the slide 9 Variable in position toward and from each other in horizontal ways in the segment-block by a right and left screw ii are padded contact members Hit, Hit, forming a fork for contact with the rear of the heel. Such an arrangement of tread and rear abutment members may be adjusted accurately to clamp effectively upon jacked shoes heels of all forms.

The slides 82 and 84 have rack-teeth H and are compelled to move together in opposite directions by intermediate gearing carried by the head M. It has been customary to bias the two slides by a spring, such as is shown at H16, acting to raise normally the rear slide in the head to an extent depending upon an adjustable stop-screw H38, this effect being transmitted to the tread slide through the gearing. That is, in the descent of the head the tread-slide is held against depression by contact of its abutment with the heel, then as the downward clamping travel of the head M continues, the rear slide is lowered until its fork contacts with the heel. Upon further descent of the head, the rearand tread-abutments exert equal balanced forces to hold the heel against displacement. It may, however, be desirable to apply unequal pressures. For example, a slender heel might be crushed and its covering deformed were the force applied to the tread as great as that upon the rear. To overcome such diificulties, the racks of the slides 82 and 84 are herein shown as connected by differential gearing which may cause the abutments to travel through different distances and therefore the application by them of unequal forces. In the present instance, a greater pressure is to be exerted upon the rear of the heel. For this purpose, there is shown as journaled in the head a short shaft H2, upon which are fast two gearsegments, one, H4, meshing with the rack of the slide 82, and the other, NE, of less radius, engaging the rack of the slide 84. When the plate 88 contacts with the tread of a heel to be attached, it exerts through the respective long and short lever-arms, furnished by the two segments, a pressure upon the rear of the heel by the fork its greater than that exerted upon the tread. By the proper choice of radii for the segments, the differential may be of the correct magnitude, or it may be reversed to apply the greater force to the tread-surface.

Interconnection of the nail-driving mechanism and pressure-head The pressure-head M and the driver-plunger '8, 58 are interconnected, so the reaction produced by the resistance which the plunger encounters during the driving of the nails into the work is transmitted to the head to force the abutments 33 and Hit against the heel being attached to clamp it in place upon the shoe. Generally, the arrangement is as in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,033,158, Standish, March it), 1936, so this portion of the invention will be but briefly described. Depending from opposite sides of the head it (Figs. 2 and 3) are rods i lii, which, at their lower extremities, are joined to lateral extensions Hi? from a cylinder hi4 having longitudinal projections M6 guided at their edges against shoulders formed on the frame and beneath gibs 14'! secured to said frame. Ccmpression-springs 1% at opposite sides of the cylinder are interposed between the extensions and supporting sockets lfit, preferably formed integrally with the gibs, the springs holding the cylinder, rods and head normally elevated, with the heelclamping members spaced to the maximum extent from the jack. In the cylinder is movable a tubular piston L52 (Fig. 6) secured to the underside of a bearing-block 15G guided at for vertical movement in the frame. The block is normally raised by springs E53 seated in bores in its under side and resting upon brackets H59 attached to the frame, bumpers liii, lBl absorbing the shock at the termination of its upward travel. Rotatable in the block is a cam M2, the shaft 554 of which is joined by an Oldham coupling N58 to the main driving shaft Hit of the machine. Upon the top of thecam rests a roll Hi2 rotatable upon the portion 58 of the driver-plunger. Against the bottom of the cam is forced by a spring N2 the head of a rod 11s guided in the block and piston and carrying a valve H6, which, when released by the cam, will close the passage through the piston. When the machine operates, the cam makes a complete turn. It first allows the spring M2 to raise the valve il -'5 and close the piston-passage. It then, by its action upon the roll Hi], raises the drivers 48 to insert in the work the nails which they carry. The resistance which this action oifers, together with that of the spring 6i to compression and the weight of the parts elevated, minus the lifting effect of the springs M8 and 58, produces a reaction, lowering the cam and bearing-block, and this motion is communicated through the rods Mil to the head ld to exert a clamping effect upon the jacked work. Since that portion of the reactive effect coming from the spring 88 and the movable parts upon which it acts is immediately felt, this pressure is applied before the insertion of the nails begins. For this reason, there is a substantial initial clamping action, and because the resistance of the spring is adjustable by the nuts 64, this may be varied as desired. The preliminary lowering of the head, until the abutment members 08 and 104 contact with the work, and the starting of the power-cycle of the machine is caused by depression of a treadle i'lil fulcrunied at the bottom of the frame and connected to the cylinder 144 at 180. The action of the treadle will be described iater in connection with the driving mechanism. To avoid an overthrow of the block 154 by the cam, with resulting excessive pressure upon the work, said block has secured to it a bumper 182 for contact with a stop-plate 184 carried by the frame of the machine. To permit the extent of movement of the block to be correctly determined, the plate 584 may be movable in inclined ways transversely of the machine by a pinion 180 meshing with rack-teeth upon the plate (Fig. 3). The pinion is rotatable by the operator through an said arm carrying a spring latch-pin W2, which, by engagement with some one of a series of index openings arranged in an arc in a retaining plate 194 attached to the frame of the machine, holds the arm, pinion and plate in their adjusted positions. The edge-portion 105 of the plate engaged by the bumper is horizontal and is or lowered by the movement of said plate.

Nail-supply in the distributor The nails or other iastenings to be driven from the jack into the supported work may be of different characters. The illustrated machine has a distributing mechanism D arranged for the delivery of two kinds of nails. Mounted side by side at the top of the frame are two nail-pots or receptacles 200, 290 (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5), which may be generally the same. Each has a hinged cover 202 for the top and a hinged, downwardly and forwardly inclined bottom 204, the latter being held normally closed by swinging bolts 206. The bottom closure may be lowered between opposite side walls 298, 208, then furnishing a downwardly and rcarwardly inclined chute over which the receptacle may be emptied when the nails are changed. Guided to reciprocate vertically in each receptacle, between the front wall and the hinge of the bottom 204 and receiving nails from said bottom. when raised, is an elevating slide 21G operating through the thus-formed space. At the top of each slide is a series of V-shaped depressions 2!! continued by downwardly extending slots 212. These are adapted to lift successively nails from the mass in the receptacle to points just above racewayslots 213 formed between the edges of spaced, downwardly inclined plates 214 attached to a bed-piece 215. The slots receive the shanks of the nails with the heads resting upon the plates, so said nails are conducted under the influence of gravity to be delivered in groups or loads at the end of the raceway. Eight of the nail-conducting slots are illustrated in Fig. 2, and those from which delivery is not to be made are blocked by positioning across them hooks 21'1 pivoted upon the upper faces of the plates 214.

To divide the burden of lifting the hails from the receptacles, the slides 2H3 are preferably operated alternately. Fulcrumed at the rear of the frame is an equal-armed lever 216 having the ends of its arms connected to the respective slides by links 218. One of these links is also pivoted to the upper extremity of a slide 220 guided for vertical reciprocation in the frame. A rack 222 is formed upon the slide, and spaced from it,

fast upon the frame, is an opposite rack 224. Between and meshing with the two racks is a pinion 226 rotatable upon a vertically movable actuating slide 228. Upon the last-mentioned slide is a horizontal guideway 230 in which travels a block 232 carried by a crank-pin 234 projecting from one side of a gear 236 upon a short shaft 237 journaled at the rear of the frame. The gear is driven continuously during the operation of the machine through a pinion 233 fast upon a horizontal shaft 240, which is, in turn, rotated through belt-gearing 242 from a constantly driven pulley on the main shaft 168 (Fig. 6). As the pinion 226 travels up and down under the influence of the slide 228, it is compelled to turn about its axis by its engagement with the stationary rack 224 and, because of its engagement with the rack 222, carries the slide 220 with it, oscillating the lever 216. This raises one of the nail-elevators 210 and simultaneously lowers the other to make alternate delivery from the two receptacles to the corresponding raceways.

Raceway-clearers Instead of the nails being received from the elevators by the raceway-slots, they may pass upon the plates 214 and lie across the slots 213, blocking them. To remove these nails and return them to the receptacles, there rests upon the upper extremity of each raceway a reciprocatory clearer A (Figs. 4, 5 and 8). This clearer has two portions. One of these consists of a bar 244 extending across the upper surface of the raceway and having movable in vertical ways at its rear face beneath a cover-plate 243 a series of slides 24'! operating over the respective raceway-slots and each yieldable against a spring 248 interposed between it and an angular extension of the cover-plate. The operating end of each slide has at its center a projection 249, at each side of which is a shoulder 251. The shoulders travel just above the tops of walls 253, 253 extending along the raceway-plates 214 and rising sufficiently above the upper surfaces of said plates that the projections 249, as they enter between the walls, shall still clear the heads of the nails N hanging in the slots. The walls are at least as long as the distance of travel of the clearer A. Through a longitudinal slot 255 in each slide extends an eccentric end-portion 257 of a screw 259 threaded through the cover-plate 246. A lock-nut 261 retains the screw against accidental rotation. The eccentric end 25'! serves as a stop for the slide under the influence of the spring 248, and by turning the screw 259, the height of the projection 249 may be adjusted to make sure that it will not engage the hanging nails. The other portion of each clearer has spaced fingers 250 depending from the bar and movable through spaces between the racewayplates 214 into openings in the front wall of the nail-receptacle. These fingers rest at their lower ends upon the frame to support the bar, determining its path parallel to the nail-supporting surface of the raceway, and are adapted to sweep back into the receptacle nails which may be displaced from the raceway by the slides 24'! to fall into pockets 252 in the racewaywall. Each clearer-bar is attached at each end to an arm 254 pivoted on the upper end of a lever 256 fulcrumed beneath the raceway. The clearer is urged normally forward by a spring 258 uniting the lever to the frame. The lower arm of each lever has a horizontal extension in which a plunger 260 is yieldable against a spring 262.

roll 2641 upon the plunger receives contact of a cam-projection 266 from the forward side of the corresponding elevating slide 2H). This contact occurs While the slide is descending and is below the upper raceway-surface. It causes the lever to be turned clockwise (Fig. 5) to move the clearer in and remove accumulated nails from the top of the raceway and from the pockets 252, returning them to the receptacle. If clogging occurs, compression of the spring 262 by the plunger allows the lever to remain stationary and prevents breakage. Because the heads of the nails in the slots are below the upper edges of the walls 253, the crossed nails lying upon these walls are supported clear of the heads, and when swept back into the receptacles by the shoulders 25! of the clearers, these will not engage and carry with them the hanging nails. The projections 2 59 of the clearers extend sufliciently below the shanks of the crossed nails that continued engagement with them is insured, and there is no possibility that the slides 241 will yield against their springs and jump over the nails. If, however, nails become wedged so positively that a slide might be broken instead of eifecting the clearing, it will yield against its spring 268 and thus avoid injury.

Separation of groups or loads of nai s From the series of nails hanging in the raceway-slots, successive loads are picked 01f. To the forward extremity of the bed-plate 255 of each distributor-section, supporting member Zlll is attached, this having at its ends projections 272, 272 (Figs. 9, 10 and 11). Secured to these projections by clips Bi l, which render removal easy, is a secondary supporting member 216, upon which rests and is secured by screws 223 endprojections from the horizontal portion 280 of a substantially vertical wall 232 spaced from the ends of the two raceways. To allow the spacing of the wall to be adjusted, the screws 21% pass through slots in the portion 288, and screws ZEN threaded into the support 2% have flanges turning in slots in the under side of said portion 285. By the screws 28 l the wall may be positioned accurately, while the screws Elli, when tightened, secure it in place. By this means, the mechanism may be arranged to act effectively upon nails having shanks diifering in diameter. EX- tending for the full height of the inner face of the wall 282 is a depression 2% Situated between each pair of raceway-slots Eli? and spaced similarly thereto. These depressions have sufiicient transverse area to pass the heads of the nails to be delivered. Screws threaded through the extensions of the wall-portion 288 and contacting with the primary support, facilitate the proper positioning of the upper edge of the wall 232 and therefore the tops of the depressions This adapts the mechanism to best act upon nails the heads of which areof different thickness, considered longitudinally of the shanks. Between the end of the raceway and the wall 282, a nailseparating piate 2%? is movable, it being provided with a horizontal portion 285 resting upon the primary support 2% and guided at its outer edge by a surface upon the secondary support 2%. In the separating plate are vertical slots 25%, one for each depression 28% and correspondingly These slots are large enough transversely to admit the shank of a nail while retaining the head the uij, er of the piat-e. When the plate-slots are carried from registration with the raceway-slots into registration with the walldepressions, a nail at the end of the series in each raceway-slot which has entered the plate-slot and is held by its head with the shank resting against the wall 2&2, wiil be received by the depression, falling through it and through the opening which terminates the depression in the portion 2%. Alined with this opening is a passage 2% through the support 2%, this being of a diameter sufiicient to freely pass the nail-heads. About its lower end is a recess 292, opening through the front of the support to receive an annular flange 29% upon the upper extremity of a flexible nail-conducting tube 295%. The entire set of tubes is releasably locked in place by a sliding plate 298 carried at the under side of the support Eli] by slot-andscrew connections This plate has angular openings 302, one for each tube, which, in one position, will admit the tubes to the recesses 292 and then. when moved longitudinally, will be forced against said tubes beneath the flanges to secure them in place. In each raceway-slot 2&3, a series of nails will hang with the heads overlapping the edges of the plates 2M, and the forward nail in the slot 283 of the separating plate 281?, it being held against advance by the unbroken portion of the wall Upon moving the plate 28'? longitudinally to bring its slots into registration with the wall-depressions 2%, an entire load of nails, one from each open raceway-slot, will enter the depressions and be delivered through the passages 298 and the tubes 29%. The re mainder of the series in the raceway-slots will be cut oif from delivery until return of the plate 28'! to its normal position. It should be noted that by releasing the secondary support 2% from its clips 2'54, all the nail-separating elements 289, 282, 23'; and 289 may be removed with it as a unit, together with the adjusting means Bid, 28! and 285. This gives free access to the ends of the raceways and to the separating means.

To effect the reciprocation of the separating plate 23?, there is fulcrumed at 304 on one of the support-extensions 2M, a lever 3616, upon an upwardly extending arm of which a connecting link 368 is pivoted. A hook extending from the inner end of this link may be swung into and out of engagement with a stud tlil upon the separating plate. Said plate may thus be freed readily from its actuating connections for removal or to stop its operation. The lever 536 has projecting forwardly from it spaced lugs 5A2, 3E2 through which screws 3M. 3M are threaded, they extending toward each other and being respectively movable into contact with upper and lower edges of the adjacent support-projection. The lever 39% also has a horizontally extending arm provided with a rounded inner end 318 through which passes a vertical actuating rod 32d. About the rod and engaging opposite sides of the leverend 3E8 are short, flanged sleeves 322, 322, which are urged toward each other against the leverend by helical springs 32 i, 324. The springs surround the rod and at the outer extremities abut against pairs of nuts and lock-nuts 326, 325 threaded upon the rod. This rod is reciprccated once for each nail-delivery by connection to an arm 328 fixed upon the outer end of a spindie 338 turning at one side of the frame (Fig. l). The spindle has upon its inner extremity an arm 5532, upon which is a roll lying in a cam-groove 333 in a lever 33d (Fig. 5) forming a part the actuating mechanism of the nail-supplying means and which is oscillated as will later appear. The oscillation of the lever reciprocates the rod 32! and, through the springs 32 i, yieldably rocks the lever 306. This, in turn, reciprocates the separating plate 281 to an extent allowed by the engagement of the ends of the screws 3 I4 with the edges of the support at 272 to pick eff loads of nails, as has 'already been described. The interposition of the springs in the connections prevents injury to the mechanism if clogging occurs, and adjustment of the screws 3l4 determines the extent of movement of the separating plate in each direction.

" a Foot-plate Mounted within the frame I is a casing 340 inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the front of the machine and located behind the jack J (Fig. 5). Support of the forward end of this casing upon screws 34! threaded into the frame assists in adjusting the height of the casing and the path of the loading mechanism which it carries with respect to the top of the jack. At the upper, forward portion of the casing is supported a foot-plate 342, at which the nail-tubes 296 terminate (Fig. 16 The lower extremities of the tubes are received by passages 344, 346 and 343 (Fig. 12). The passage 344 for the nail at the rear of the heel to be attached is in a crossbar 356 secured to the plate, while the other four passages are arranged movably in pairs in blocks 352, each pair of blocks having curved flanges 353 (Fig. 13) traveling in guideways 354 curved outwardly from each other in the plate 342, the breast-blocks being further guided by curved openings in'a sectional cover-plate 356. The contour and extent of these guideways is such'that as the blocks are shifted along them, the deliveryends of the nail-tubes may be caused to assume positions corresponding to all the nailing designs which are to be employed. Each block is joined by a link 358 to the. transversely extended end 360 of an actuating rack 362 guided in the upper portion of the casing 340. The pairs of links for the forward and rear blocks lie in planes one above the other. To move the rack, there meshes with it a gear-segment 364 fast upon a short shaft 366 journaled across the casing, and extending from the opposite side of the shaft is a segment 363 having a greater radius than the segment 364. The segment 368 meshes with a rack 310 arranged to slide at the top of the casing and actuated by a finger-piece 312. One side of the rack 310 may bear a series of designations 314 corresponding to different nailing designs. A spring-pressed pin 376 engaging any one of a series of depressions at the upper edge of *the rack 3T0 both racks in the proper positions to give a chosen arrangement when the corresponding designation is in sight just at the front of the casing. The differential-gearing 364, 368 reduces the distance through which the operatoractuated rack are must be moved to obtain the necessary travel of the rack 362 joined to the blocks.

Loader-block and its mounting from the auxiliary slides. Carried by a frame 389 trunnioned at 390 at the forward extremity of the main slide'is an invertible loader-block 392, in which are nail-receiving passages 394, arranged according to the particular nailing design which is in use and closedat one side by a plate 396. Upon the opposite face of the block a nail-retaining shutter 398 is guided, it having openings 400 which correspond to the block-passages but are held normally out of alinement therewith by tension-springs 402 joining the shutter to the block. An outward projection from the shutter has a screw 404 threaded through it and which, in the reciprocation of the slide 380, contacts either with the foot-plate 342 or with the jack J to open the shutter against the force of the springs. In the first instance, it admits nails from the tubes 296 and th foot-plate-passages, and in the second, it frees the contained nails for deposit in the jack-tubes 36.

The loader-slide and loader-block are actuated in the following manner. Depending from the bar 302 of the main slide are short arms 4! spaced from each other, and in these a horizontal spindle M2 is mounted to rotate. About this spindle, between the arms, turns a block 4M lying in a slot 4I6 opening through the top and at one side of the lever 334. As this lever is oscillated, the slide 386 is reciprocated between its extreme positions through the action 01 the slot. The rearward limit is fixed adjustably by contact of the end of the slide with a screw 4l8 threaded through the casing 340, while the forward limit is similarly determined by engagement of a bumper 420 upon the lever 334 with a screw 422' threaded in the frame. Starting from its rearward position, the main slide moves out through the auxiliary slides 384, the latter remainlng at rest until the rear extremities of the slots 381 strike the pins 388, when the slides travel together to the extent permitted by the pins 386. By this telescopic arrangement, the loaderblock receives proper'support for its full advance between the foot-plate and the jack without requiring excessive extension at the rear of the frame. Between the slides 380 and 384, bars 424 are movable. At the ends of the bars, below the loader-block 392, are rack-teeth 426 meshing with pinions 428 fixed upon the trunnions 390. At the opposite or rear extremities, the bars are provided with rack-teeth 430 meshing with gear- 0 segments 432 upon levers 434 secured to the spindle 412. A roll 436 upon a depending arm of each lever operates in a cam-groove 438 at one side of the casing 340. The cam-groove is so formed that during the passage of the loaderblock between the foot-plate and the jack, and the reverse, the levers 434 turn said block in onposite directions through 180 about an axis intersecting the plane of its transferring travel. As a result of this, the block, with the shutter 398 held open by contact of the screw 404 with the foot-plate, first presents its passages 394 to receive a load of nails. As the block leaves the foot-plate, the springs 402 close the shutter, and the levers 434 invert the block so that. when it comes above the jack, the shutter is at the under side. Then, engagement of the screw 404 with the rear of the jack opens the shutter, and the nails fall into the jack-tubes 36; A projection from a disk 440 fixed upon one of the trunnions 390 engages a pin 442 projecting from the slide 390 to determine the angular relation of the loader-block when it delivers to the jack-passages. At the opposite extremity of travel, contact of the loader-block with the under side of the foot-plate furnishes a stop for the former. The extreme positions of the loader-block are i1- lustrated l6 and 1'7, and an intermediate position shown in dash-lines in connection with Fig. 17. it should. be observed that but one shutter quired, the opposite side of the block being p nently closed by the plate 396.

To IQE'LZJ it the loader-block 392 to be located properly in its frame and to be changed readily For the provision of passages 394 arranged in the chosen nailing design, it has at its opposite sides vertical ribs 443 (Figs. 14 and 14*), which are received. by slots 444 at opposite sides of the frail e. When the block is seated vertically by upward movement against a shoulder 445 upon the frame, grooves 446 lying transversely of the ribs come into registration with grooves 44E extending longitudinally of the frame. Movable in the grooves 44'? to enter the slots is a resilient retaining member 448 in the form of a U, with its yoke outside the block and frame. At the ends of its arms are enlargements which may occupy either of two pairs of opposed depressiens 44% opening from the grooves 441. When the enlargements are in the inner depressions, the arms of the member 448 are in both the grooves 4 245 and 447, and the loader-block is locked in its frame. When the member is drawn outwardly until stopped by the entrance of its enlargements into the outer depressions, it leaves the grooves 446, and the block is freed for removal. The member 448 remains constantly in place in the frame.

Actuation of the nail-supplying means There have been described the separation of a load of nails from the raceway-slots 213 by reciprocation of the plate 28?, and their delivery by the loader-block 5.392 to the jack-tubes under the influence of the cam-groove 333 and the slot 4ft, respectively, these being in the secondary lever 334. Considering now the action of this lever, it turns about a spindle 454 extending transversely near the rear of the frame 5 and i8). Secured to the spindle is 9. pr. l ry actuating lever 452 provided with a longitudinal groove 454 in which moves a block turning upon a crank-pin 45! projecting from one side of a disk 458 fast upon a shaft 4%, this shaft being journaled in the frame above and in front of the spindle. Through a ciutch c of the jaw-type (Fig. 19), this shaft may be left at rest or be driven from a sleeve dfil surrounding the shaft and maintained in con uous rotation by worm-gearing 462 from the s aft 2%. This shaft 248 has already been described as driven by belt-gearing 242 from a constantiy driven pulley of the machine. The driving means preferably includes a friction device (Fig. 6) so if there is undue resistance up in the driven mechanism, the friction will slip prevent breakage. The above-mentioned pulley, designated as 465, is shown as arranged to impart rotation through a clutch C (Fig. 22) to the shaft iiit, said pulley being driven by belt-gearing 4 85 from a shaft 458 to which power plied. Pivoted upon a lateral extension 410 f. in the lever 45??? is an arm 4'12 forced outwardly by spring 4'54 to an extent permitted by engagement between a depending portion 476 of the arm and a lug upon the lever. The spring is contained a bore in the lever between a compression-adjusting screw 418 and a plunger 48%) movable in the bore and contacting with the under side of the arm. At its upper side, the

arm has turning upon it a roll 482. As the lever 452 is oscillated by the revolution of the crank-pin 45? and the reciprocation of the block 456 along the groove 454, the roll 482 may either rest in a depression 484 in a lateral flange 486 at the top of the lever 334 or may ride out of the depression and travel along the flange in either direction, compressing the spring 414. In the first instance, the secondary lever 334 is oscillated with the primary lever 452 to produce the separatorand loader-movements, as already described. When the loader-travel is terminated by the stops H8 and 422 in its opposite extremes of travel at the foot-plate and jack, respectively, the roll 482 will leave the depression 484 and advance upon the flange, so the arm 334 may remain at rest. When the movement of the primary lever 452 is reversed in its oscillation, the roll .82 again enters the depression 484 and carries the secondary lever with it. This correspondingly reverses the travel of the nail-delivering elements. The automatically releasable connection between the primary and secondary levers not only provides for the exact bringing to rest of the latter lever, while the oscillation of the former continues, but also guards against injury to the elements if an obstruction, such as misplaced nails, is encountered at any point.

Control of the nail-supplying means The actuation of the separator-plate 281 and the loader-block 392, as above described, may be either under the direct control of the operator or may be caused as an incident to the operation of the machine. In the first instance, the operator may depress with his right or left hand either of two lever-arms 499, 4539 situated at opposite sides of the jack J and both fast upon a horizontal spindle 492 rotatable in the frame (Figs. 5, 18, 20 and 21). This will cause the engagement of the clutch c by the following connections. Fulcrumed upon the frame at 494 is a lever 496 having a long, generally horizontal arm 498. Joined to the rear of this arm and to the frame is a tension-spring 5% which draws a roll 502 upon the arm into a normal position within a peripheral depression 525 in a cam-disk 5&6 secured to turn with the crank-disk 458. There projects rearwardly from the spindle 492 an arm 5S8, at the end of which a roll Bill is rotatable. tension-spring 5H2, connecting the arm 588 to the frame, holds the roll 51% down and hand-pads 5&4 upon the lever-arms 490 raised. The movement in this direction is limited by a stop-screw 5W threaded through the frame. The arms 4% and 5% furnish a starting lever for the nail-supplying mechanisms. Referring to Fig. 18, it will be seen that the roll 5H1 engages a tail 5E5 upon a contact member 5'8 pivoted upon the lever 495 and holds it to the left against the force of a torsionspring 52%. The upper hooked end of the member M5 is then opposite a lug E5722 projecting forwardly from a second contact member 524 pivoted on the lever id-E above the member 5l8. A. compression-spring 52'31 interposed between the lug 522 and the lever 496 urges the upper extremity of the member against the lever, with a depending tail 523 in the position shown in Fig. 18. Upon depression of either of the hand-pads the roll hit is moved up a camsurface upon the contact member 5&8. This forces said member against the lug 522 of the member 52 1- and turns the lever 496 clockwise about its fulcrum 494. Extending into a groove 532 at one side of the lever-arm 498 is a lateral projection 534 from one extremity of a slide 536 (Fig. 19) guided in the frame adjacent to the shaft 460. Upon the reduced opposite end of the slide is a flanged sleeve 538 held against a portion of the slide of greater diameter by a spring 540, contacting with the sleeve and with a collar secured to the slide. Between the flanges of the sleeve lies the forked end of one arm of a bell-crank-lever 542 fulcrumed on the frame, the opposite end of which lever is forked to enter opposite sides of a circumferential groove 554 in a driven member 546 of the clutch c. This member is splined to the shaft 460, so it may be shifted into and out of engagement with a complemental portion of the clutch which is formed upon the inner end of the sleeve 46I. If the ends of the opposite clutch-projections strike one another, instead of interengaging, the spring 540 will yield, so the slide 536 and the chain of elements which caused its movement are unaffected by the checking of the lever 542. Then when the projections on the clutch-sleeve 46I reach the proper points to mesh, the spring effects the engagement by its action on the member 546. It will be observed that depression of a hand-pad upon either of the lever-arms 490 does two things. The elevation of the lever-arm 468 frees the shaft 460 for rotation by lifting the roll. 502 from the depression in the disk 506, and, by its action upon the slide 536, it engages the sections of the clutch c to cause the rotation of the shaft 460. The lever 496 is temporarily locked in its actuated position by contact of the circular periphery of the disk with the roll, so this rotary movement continues through 360 to produce a complete operating cycle of the nailsupplying mechanism. At the end of the cycle, the lever 486 is unlocked, by the entrance of the roll into the disk-depression, so it may assume its initial position. A projection 550 from the side of the disk 458 strikes the tail 528 of the contact member 524, rocking said member anticlockwise, as viewed in Fig. 18. The lug 522 is thereby lifted above the engaging end of the member 5I8. This releases the arm 498 of the lever 496, and when the depression 504 again reaches the roll 502, said roll is drawn into said depression by the spring 500. The groove 532 in the lever-arm actuates the slide 536, and the lever 542 disengages the clutch c. The nail-supplying elements therefore come to rest in their normal positions. This will be true, regardless of whether the operator continues to hold down the lever-arm 490, because when the contact members 5l8 and 524 were separated by the action of the disk-projection 550, manual control was lost. It is not restored until the lever-arm has been released by the operator and has returned to normal, this permitting the member 5I8 to attain its initial position under the infiuence of the spring 520. Continued deliveries for a single lever-depression are thus guarded against.

When either of the hand-lever-arms has been fully actuated by the operator, it is locked in this position until the termination of an operating cycle of the machine. Extending downwardly and rearwardly from the controlling lever-arm 508 is an arm-extension 552, the end of which swings in contact with an arcuate surface 554 of a lever 556 (Figs. 6 and 18) fulcrumed upon the frame above the main shaft I68. A tensionspring 558 holds the lever 556 in engagement with the arm. At the termination of the feedcontrolling movement of the lever-arm 508, its extension reaches a depression 560 in the surface 554, which receives it and retains the handlever against reverse movement. This locking of the lever in its active position continues until the clutch C has caused a single rotation of the main shaft, which drives the work-pressing and nail-driving shaft I68 of the machine through a complete operating cycle. Rotatable with the driven section of the clutch is a cam 562 (Fig. 22). Just before the completion of the rotation of shaft I58, the cam engages and forces up a vertical plunger 564 movable in the frame. The head of the plunger tilts the lever 556 clockwise (Fig. 18), releasing the lever-arm-extension 552, so the controlling lever-system is returned to normal by the spring 5l2. The time at which this occurs may be altered by adjustment of the attachment of cam 562 to the driven section of the clutch by slot-and-screw connections 565.

The operator may strike the pad 5I4 of the clutch-controlling hand-lever so quickly that it will not be depressed sufficiently to remove the roll 502 from the cam-depression 504 or carry the lever-arm 552 to the depression 560, yet the movement of the slide 536 by the cam-groove 532 will engage the clutch 0, so the shaft 460 will start in rotation. To insure full movement of the arms 490 and 508, 552 of the operators hand-lever, there is pivoted to the lower extremity of lever 496 a link 566 in which is a longitudinal slot 568 receiving a laterally projecting pin 510 on the lever-arm 552. Any movement of the lever-arm 508 which has engaged the clutch c will carry the roll 502 close to the throat of the depression 504, at each side of which depression is a rounded edge 512. As the shaft 460 and the disk 506 are rotated by the clutch, one of these edges will cam the roll 502 fully from the depression. The lower end of the slot 568 in the link 566 at this time lies close to the pin 510. Contact of the link with this pin turns the lever-arms 490 and 508, 552 clockwise (Fig. 18), so the operator's lever is shifted under the power of the machine to its fully actuated position, at which the roll 5I0 completes its movement to carry the contact member 5I8 below the lug 522 and brings the end of the arm 552 opposite the locking depression 560.

The operation of the nail-supplying mechanism may be made independent of manual control by the operator, being effected instead as a result of the action of the work-pressing and nail-driving mechanisms. Secured upon one of the siderods I40 is a bracket 516 (Figs. 20 and 21), and guided in this bracket for horizontal movement is a headed contact-pin 518, urged inwardly by an expansion-spring 580 which surrounds it. When a lateral projection 582 from this pin rests against the outer end of its guide, said pin is in an inactive position. When, however, the pin is rotated, so the projection may enter a slot 584 in the bracket, the end of the pin lies beneath one arm of a lever 588 fulcrumed upon the framebracket I2. The opposite arm of the lever is joined by a link 588 to one of the forward arms 490 of the hand-lever. The vertical relation of the inwardly positioned pin 518 to the end of the lever 586 is such that after the operator has released the treadle I18 to allow the pressure-head 14 to rise at the end of an operating cycle, final elevation of the bracket 515 by the side-rod I40 causes the pin to engage and tilt the lever 586 clockwise (Fig. 20). This actuates the controlling lever 496 as though the lever-arm 490 had been moved manually, and the nail-supplying means goes through its operating cycle to deliver a load of nails to the jack. This automatic controlling means substantially increases the speed of operation, since it not only relieves the operator of a governing act but also furnishes a stimulus, in that he must remove the completed work from the jack while the pressure-head is rising, to clear the way for nail-delivery to the tubes 36.

Main clutch and its control The rotation of the shaft I68, through which the work-pressing and nail-driving mechanisms are operated, is governed by the treadle H8, which controls the clutch C. As illustrated in Fig. 22, this clutch is of the Horton type, it being shown as having a ring 59!] carried by the pulley 465 which furnishes the driving element, turning in the direction indicated by the arrow. Within the ring are arranged concentrically a roll-cage 592 and a wedge-cage 594, the former cage turning about the latter. The wedge-cage is keyed to the shaft H58, which is the driven element. Free to play radially about the shaft is an abutmentring 596 provided at its periphery with three inclined surfaces 598. With these surfaces contact complementally inclined surfaces upon wedge members 606 mounted to move radially in ways in the cage 594. A projection 602 from the wedgecage lies in an opening 604 in the abutment member with considerable clearance, holding these elements in approximately the correct relation but with a capacity for relative movement. The outer ends of the wedges are inclined oppositely to the inner, so the surfaces converge, lying at substantially the same angle to a median plane, and engage rolls 6% movable radially in ways in the cage 592. Attached to the driving roll-cage by a pivot 608 is a clutch-lever Bill, which has toothed engagement at BIZ with the wedge-cage which is to be driven. An expansion-spring 6M interposed between the wedge-cage and the lever exerts a force tending to throw a radially projecting end Bit of said lever outwardly. When this is permitted, relative movement between the roll-cage and wedge-cage is caused by the engagement of the lever B i ll with both. This results in the inner ends of the wedges being forced against the abutment-surfaces 598 and the outer surfaces against the rolls, which are urged against the ring 59!]. The pulley 455 and shaft NB are thus clutched together, so the shaft is driven. The abutment member 595 turns with the wedges, and its capacity for adjusting itself in all directions radially creates equal pressure of all the rolls upon the ring and insures uniformly firm engagement with minimum wear. When, in use, repeated driving contact of the rolls with the outer ends of the wedges deforms the latter, said wedges, because of theinclination of both ends, may be reversed, and their life thus doubled.

The driving action of the clutch C is normally prevented by holding the end 6H3 of the lever 6m in against the force of the spring Bid to so retain the cages that the wedges are out of clutching engagement. Fulcrumed at M8 on the frame Ill is a carrier-lever 625, which is normally held against a bumper 522 backed by an adjusting screw 624 threaded through the frame. The carrier-lever is urged against the bumper by an expansion-spring E25 adjustable by a screw 628 as to the force exerted. Supported by the carrier-lever is a chain of three successively acting levers. At its upper extremity, a contact-lever 638 is pivoted, this having rotatable upon it a roll 63! drawn into the path of the lever-end 6H5 by a tension-spring 532. This spring joins the lever 63! to a latching lever 634, which turns about the pivot MB of the carrier-lever. The action of the spring 632 is to hold the lever 630 normally against a stop 636 upon the carrierlever, while the lever 635 is drawn against the lever 636 at 538. Under these conditions, the roll 533i of the lever 53!] is in the path of the clutch-lever-end 556. The clutch-lever is thereby held in to disengage the clutch. To withdraw the roll 633 and allow the spring 5M- to produce engagement of the clutch, an actuating lever M2 is fulcrumed upon the carrier-lever 520. This lever 642 at its rear extremity has a rounded end occupying a depression in a short, forwardly extending arm of the intermediate latching lever 635. An opposite arm is arranged for engagement at its under side with a shoulder M l near the upper end of a bar 648 rising from the treadle H8. The shoulder of the bar is drawn yieldably beneath the lever against a bumper Ml upon the carrier-lever 628 by a tension-spring 6452 connecting it to the frame. A screw 550 threaded through a depending portion of the lever 642 bears against the bar below the shoulder to release the bar from actuating engagement with the lever when the latter is rotated in a clockwise direction.

Upon depression of the treadle, the bar 645 is elevated, and its shoulder EM turns the lever 642. The spring 558 yields, allowing the bar to be displaced to the left by thescrew 65!], so the shoulder 5M is disengaged from the leverlillf and the clutch freed from control by the treadle. During the elevation of the bar the lever 63 iis tilted anticlockwise against the spring 632, so at 638 it releases the lever 535. This last-mentioned lever is now free to turnanticloclrwise, such movement being very abruptly produced by the spring Gil-l overcoming the spring 632. The lever 6m therefore assumes a position in which the clutch C is. engaged by the relative rotary movement of the wedgeand roll-cages, so the lever Blil in its revolution leaves the roll 6%. As soon as this occurs, and because the lever M2 has released itself from the bar 646, the lever 839 may be turned against its stop 536 by the spring 632, and the lever 63 i shifted simultaneously to reestablish the engagement between the two levers at 635. The lever 538 and its roll 62H are thereby locked in their normal relation. The engagement of the lever 634 with the lever 542 has returned the latter to its initial position. As the clutch approaches the end of its rotation, the edge 55d of the lever em strikes the roll and acts as a cam to gradually disengage the clutch. Before the lever-end 5H5 caches the roll, the disengagement is completed, and the contact of the end with the roll stops the rotation of the shaft E68 at a definite point. The arresting engagement of the roll with the lever-end is cushioned by the rotation of the entire controlling lever-system, the carrier-lever 529 yielding against the spring 625, which then restores it to its initial position against the bumper 522. A brake 5565 (Fig. 6) may exert a constant retarding effect upon the shaft to assist in bringing it promptly to rest. When the operator releases the treadle, the clutch-controlling system is restored to normal, the spring 548 carrying the bar 6&6 against the stop-screw 859 

